40 Weeks
by kerigocrazy
Summary: Bella Swan was forever self-sacrificing...until she wasn't. In a fit of rebellion after Edward leaves her in the woods, she sets out to lose her V-Card. Quil Ateara is the lucky sucker standing in her way. A single night of awkward, virgin pleasure turns into 40 weeks of bodily fluids, stretch marks, and overprotective wolves with no clue what to do with a pregnant leech lover.
1. Chapter 1: Conception

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters and situations are the property of Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.

**A/N:**Many of you have been sending me PMs, wondering when this one would start posting. Here we are :) I'll be posting one chapter a week on Wednesdays until I finish up Marked and the Twilight 25, then we'll hopefully add on another chapter or two to the schedule. If you follow Marked, this one's very different. It's a 1st person Bella POV, mostly humorous with some angst required for assembly (it's still me, folks), and there is some definite OOCness, especially with our dear Bella. Beware the snark :) Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

Thanks to my incredible beta, Maria Vilson, who has once again taken what I've thrown at her with grace and comments that have kept me laughing my ass off at two o'clock in the morning, while the kids are sleeping. Thanks also go to my new prereader on board for this piece, Sarah Teague, for keeping me on the straight and narrow, catching my cartoon references, and making me feel okay about the fact that I watch the Disney channel even after I put the kids on the bus. You rock, ladies!

Thanks also go to meliz875 for giving me a well-placed (gentle) kick in the ass to get on this one.

Warnings for this fic include blatant f-bombs, graphic use of an enema along with other potty/pregnancy humor, and the secks...but probably not the butt secks. Probably.

* * *

"40 Weeks"

Chapter 1: Conception

"_The condom broke. I know how stupid that sounds. It's the reproductive version of the dog ate my homework."  
―Jennifer Weiner, Little Earthquakes _

_I'm an animal. Hear me roar._ I stood before a mirror in my bedroom, casting a critical eye at the painted on jeans and low-cut tank I'd decided on after an afternoon of deliberation and considering the addition of body glitter. I'd recently read a self-help book about releasing your inner animal, courtesy of Renee, and I realized that one of my most prominent flaws was my inability to go after what I wanted. Things just _happened _to me. So, I pulled up my big girl panties (brand new silk, bikini cut), fluffed up my hair, and set off to lose my V-Card. Minus the glitter.

Jake would gladly relieve me of my virginity, but it would require a hearts and flowers moment along with some sort of sappy promise ring presentation. His attitude toward me was one of the things I needed to get under control anyway. There may have been an abundance of muscle in the Black genes, but all I saw when I looked at him was a brother, and I refused to swap fluids with someone who couldn't get my hormones going. If I could just slam into his thick head that it would never happen. Stubborn ass.

I'd learned, though, while hanging around Jake's garage, that I did have a thing for some of the hunky Quileutes that made his place their second home; and, at this point, I was desperate enough to not be picky. The first reasonably good looking thing I came across needed to get naked.

Grabbing my keys off my bedside table, I headed out the door and hopped in my ancient truck. The roar the engine made when it started gave me a further jolt of confidence as I motored toward La Push._ I am an animal._

About two minutes onto the Rez, I came across Quil walking down the side of the road, a dejected cast to his shoulders. Pulling over onto the shoulder I rolled down my window and leaned out. "Hey, do you need a ride?"

He turned toward me and attempted to smile in greeting, managing a vague lift to the left side of his lips. "Sure. Thanks."

I eyed him as he walked around the truck and climbed in, realizing that he was a pretty sexy guy. I knew from talks overheard in the garage that he'd spent a lot of time over the last couple years in the gym, and boy did it show. His tight, black t-shirt framed thick muscles in a mouthwatering display. This was my chance. _You can do this, Bella._

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, but I refused to give in to the embarrassment. "I'm not sure where you live."

"Just head toward Jake's," he said, although it sounded like he threw in a muttered _asshole_ under his breath.

_Trouble in paradise?_ "Is everything okay?" I asked, watching him from the corner of my eye.

"Yeah. Jake's just being a dick."

"What'd he do?"

He groaned and threw his head back against the seat, a dull thud echoing through the cab. "It's like one day everything's all rainbows and fucking unicorns, and we're united in our anger over Embry's defection, and the next thing I know he's the new little bitch in Uley's cult. I just...they ran from me today. Just took off into the damn woods like I was contagious."

There was pain in his voice, overshadowed by the anger, and as I tried to remember a time when I had come across Quil without either Embry or Jake, I realized how close their relationship really was. What the hell was up with Jake? I had been a little confused by the fact that he hadn't answered the phone over the last couple of days, but keeping my new mission in mind, I hadn't really been bothered. Had he really gone over to the dark side in the space of a single weekend?

His complaints about Sam and his band of merry eye candy had been incessant over the last few months. The fact that Billy apparently thought the sun shone out of Sam's ass, and that they'd crossed the line from inclusive assholes to creepy stalkers had only spurred Jake's warm soda fueled rants. They never really bothered me until I realized that they were, in fact, watching Jake; the intensity in their eyes made me uncomfortable.

"I'm really sorry." I reached over and placed a hand over one of his between us on the bench seat, releasing a breath when he tensed but stayed where he was. "Why don't we hang out just the two of us today?"

His smile got a little bigger and he surprised me by flipping his palm over and rubbing a rough thumb across the side of my hand. "Sounds good. We can watch a movie at my place. My mom's at work, and Gramps is off on council business."

Silence filled the cab, outside of his simple directions, so I attempted to calm my nerves. It was a wonder he couldn't hear my heart pounding away in my chest. Shit was getting real. We pulled up in front of a white clap-board house with a wide front porch. I could see what must be his mother's influence in the carefully tended flower beds and an overabundance of bird feeders. I guess everyone needs a hobby.

Discretely wiping my slippery palms off on my jeans, I followed him up the front porch and inside. The house smelled like I imagine a home should, dried herbs and furniture polish. The furniture appeared to be handcrafted wood and the walls were painted in bright colors that reminded me of the Spanish tiles my mother had used in our kitchen back in Phoenix. I was quickly distracted from my perusal by a warm hand placed low on my back.

"Living room's just over here. You hungry? Thirsty?" He guided me over to an overstuffed couch and headed toward what I assumed to be the kitchen once I sat down.

"I'll take a glass of water. If you don't mind?"

"Oh yeah, 'cause it's so much trouble to turn on the tap."

I laughed and leaned back into the cushions, watching him as he walked back toward me. I had a dilemma now, either he would step up to the plate, or I needed to figure out how to make a move. The stretch and drop probably wouldn't work on someone who was six inches taller than me. Leaning forward to take the glass from his outstretched hand, and to place my cleavage (what there was of it) at a better advantage, I asked, "So, what are we watching?"

"Have you seen Serenity?"

"No, what's it about?"

An incredulous look crossed his face as he turned back toward me. "Wait. You haven't even seen Firefly? The TV show?"

"Um...no. Should I have?"

"It's only the greatest prematurely canceled show of all time. Okay, new plan. We're watching Firefly. Prepare yourself for awesomeness." Without waiting for a reply, he popped open a case, pulled out the first disc, and put it in the DVD player. He grabbed the remote off the coffee table and collapsed on the couch next to me.

The new closeness excited me, but his fierce concentration on the DVD menu made me realize that I was going to have to step up my game. Oblivious, thy name is Quil. I let out a dramatic shiver. "How high do you keep the AC in here? It's freezing."

He trailed a large hand down my arm and goosebumps erupted in its wake, supporting my claim. "C'mere girl." He reached out and dragged me toward him until I lay plastered against the side of his body. _This is what I'm talking about._

Snuggling closer, I turned toward the TV and pretended to pay attention, internally cataloging every breath he took and basking in the heat that radiated from his skin. This is where the self-help book left me hanging. I'd built up my confidence (although it had been nonexistent, so we were still playing in the junior leagues here) and made the decision to embrace my inner animal and go after what I want. The problem was the stupid freaking book hadn't gone into specifics. The glacial pace had me ready to stand in front of the TV and scream "Take me!" at the top of my lungs.

_Think Bella, think. _I realized that, according to Cosmo, the way to a man's bed was through his penis. This probably should have been obvious, but we're talking baby steps here people. In what I hoped was a natural move, I lifted my leg and placed it over the top of his, effectively using him as a body pillow. There was the slightest stutter in his heart rate.

That's the moment I realized I had him.

I let it rest for a few minutes, allowing him the chance to get comfortable before I shifted my leg, just slightly, against him. His breath hitched and his hand, which had been resting against my side jerked down to my hip. I felt him hardening against my thigh and a smile curved my lips. _Now we're getting somewhere. Come to mama._

Shifting my leg a bit more, I let out a tiny, contented moan, and rubbed my cheek against his chest. There was a moment, brief but a moment all the same, where I rethought my entire plan; his now rigid length felt massive against my thigh and being ripped in half wasn't in the plan today, thank you very much. But he took that moment to get on board, sliding that hand just a touch further down and holding his breath as he palmed one of my ass cheeks. He appeared to be waiting for me to shoot him down, so I could almost feel his building excitement when I pushed back the slightest bit instead.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?" My voice was thick with rising lust as I answered.

"Are you...um...comfortable."

"Yeah." I slipped my hand down his chest, and pretending to scratch my knee, I brushed his dick.

His whole body jerked. "Fuck."

I looked up, startled. "Is everything—"

There was a tongue in my mouth. _Holy motherfucking shit, there was a tongue in my mouth! _It took me a minute, but I managed to catch on, slanting my mouth wider and sucking and biting at his bottom lip. He let out a guttural groan as I crawled on top of him, now obviously grinding down on him.

He pulled back from my lips and went after my neck, using a mixture of tongue and teeth that seemed to connect my pulse point to my crotch in a straight, tingling line.

"Oh," I moaned, snaking my hand down to grip him through his jeans. I wanted to see it, feeling like it was more than time for my hard work to pay off, but a hand cupped over my breast thoroughly distracted me...and not for a good reason. The pinching and twisting of my left nipple rang the pain bell instead of the pleasure, pulling me out of my lust-filled haze. "Quil."

"Yeah, baby. Just like that." He pushed his hips up into the cradle of mine, getting even rougher with my boob.

"Quil!" I tried to pull back, but his hand on my ass held me trapped against him."Um, hey." I tapped his shoulder in a bid to get his attention. "Do you think we can go a little gentler on the boobs? It feels a little bit like you're trying to milk me right now."I was not a freakin' cow.

"Huh? Oh, shit. I'm so sorry." He attempted to shift me off him, but I wasn't having any of that. He was going to have sex with me dammit. Right the fuck now.

Deciding that the preliminaries were overrated, I sat up and pulled my tank over my head, smiling smugly as his eyes glazed over when they met the sight of my bare breasts. "Maybe you should try your mouth." To drive the point home, I popped the button on his jeans with one hand (impressing even myself) and dove straight into his boxers, wrapping my fist around him.

"Jesus, Bella," he cried before following orders and taking me into his mouth.

_Much better._ The wet heat and soft suction felt so fucking good I never wanted him to stop. Realizing the couch made movement difficult, I gave him a squeeze and tried for a sultry voice. "Can we go to your bedroom?"

He agreed silently and somehow managed to stand up with me still wrapped around him and his mouth still wrapped around me. I remembered back to scenes in movies where they moved from wall to wall slamming each other against random pieces of furniture, completely overcome by each other. That didn't happen. Although, he did manage to catch my shoulder on his door frame.

Ignoring the pain that would surely become a bruise, I began shimmying out of my jeans as soon as he dropped me on the bed. I realized that this was the point in the game where I should be attempting a sexy pose, but at the rate he was shedding clothing I was pretty sure I could stop trying.

"Shit!"

"What? What's wrong?" _Please say nothing's wrong._

"I don't have any condoms."

_Aha! _I was prepared for this. I reached a hand down to my tiny panties, hopefully seductively, and pulled a foil-wrapped package out of the small pocket sewn on the front.

"Holy mother of god that was sexy," he breathed before diving onto the bed next to me. He slid down the front of my underwear, rough fingers meeting my folds.

"Ah, baby. You're so wet."

Hoping that was a good thing, I rocked against his hand. "Please."

"Tell me what you want."

"More, please. I want more."

It was like he sprouted a dozen extra hands all of the sudden, the sound of foil ripping echoed through the room as he covered himself while working a finger inside of me.

"So tight," he muttered. "How are you so tight?"

I refused to answer that question. He'd gotten two fingers inside of me now and the friction wasn't entirely pleasurable but I hoped for fast improvement. Pulling his fingers out, he tugged my panties off and yanked me toward him, wrapping my legs around his hips.

Just before he entered me, he paused. "Are you sure?"

What I'm positive was an incredulous look passed over my face. "Are you kidding me? Yes. Yes I'm sure." I was going to hit him if he didn't just get it over with.

He sank into me slowly, making what appeared to be a heroic effort not to hurt me. He failed. Miserably. I felt like I was being ripped apart, tears were pouring down my face so

fast I couldn't see, and I was sure that the moment was unequivocally ruined.

I was, apparently, wrong. At least on his part, everything appeared to be incredible. I think he took my pained noises as moans of pleasure, so he responded accordingly, thrusts becoming faster and deeper. I found myself wondering if it was possible to require a trip to the emergency room from sex. Hello, doctor, I've been ripped apart by my deflowerer's monstrous cock...can you fix it? I felt a drop of sweat hit my face and realized that his exertion had caused it. Romance novels try to make that shit sexy. It's not.

He slipped and slid above me, his sweat pooling and congealing against my skin. I was finally relaxing and catching the rhythm when he slipped out of me completely; it was only a minor foul until he (accidentally) prodded my backdoor in an attempt to reenter me.

"Wrong hole," I cried out, not caring if the mood was ruined at that point. No way in hell did I plan on losing _that _virginity today, if ever.

"Right. Sorry." He reached a hand down to guide himself back to the proper location and cautiously resumed his pace. Once assured he was in the right place, the awkwardness subsided and the frantic race toward orgasm reignited. His grunting and groaning was getting louder now, and the friction caused by his thrusts was drawing small noises of pleasure from me.

Burying his face in my throat, he changed angles again and the sound of his balls slapping my ass filled the room. "Fuck—I'm so close. C'mon baby, come for me."

_Huh? _How the hell was I supposed to do that? Hoping it wouldn't offend him, I slid a hand down between our bodies and rubbed my clit. _Yeah, there it is. _

I came in a rush of heat that overwhelmed me and he followed quickly behind me, bursting the tip of the condom with the force of it. "Shit. I'm so sorry, Bella. Are...are you on anything?"

Frozen for a minute, I almost lied. Almost gave him what he wanted so I wouldn't have to consider the possibilities of the truth. "No," I whispered, still panting in an attempt to catch my breath.

A pained look crossed his face and I couldn't help but ask, "Has this happened to you before?"

"Um...I've never actually done this before."

"Oh. Oh! Neither have I."

He grinned down at me and pushed off my body, creating a horrifying sucking sound as our combined sweat attempted to glue our torsos together. Gesturing at the blood on my thighs before he turned and headed toward the bathroom to, I assume, clean up, he replied, "I figured."

There was a contemplative look on his face when he reentered the room and sat next to me on the bed. He used a damp washcloth to carefully clean my thighs. "It was only once," he rationalized out loud.

"Yeah. And I don't even think it's the right time of month for it." I couldn't be more glad he wasn't Jake at that point, because Jake would've caught the lie. Quil didn't. Too wrapped up in his internal musings, he lay down next to me and hauled me in next to his body.

"If...if something does happen, you'll tell me right?"

I nodded against his chest and snuggled closer, wanting to soak up as much of his heat as possible before it was over and I had to go home. Knowing myself, this could very well be the one and only time I had sex, so I wanted to, I don't know, bask or something.

In a silent refrain through my muddled brain ran two separate thoughts, one of a self-congratulatory nature and the other a somewhat desperate plea: _I am an animal _and _Oh, God I hope I'm not pregnant. _

**PS: Quil wanted me to tell you that it can only get better from here. It was his first time up to bat, after all. Also, the stealth trip to the backdoor was a total accident. Really.**


	2. Chapter 2: Weeks 2-4 Implantation

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters and situations are the property of Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended."40 Weeks"

**A/N: **Thanks, as usual, go to my beta extraordinaire, Maria Vilson, for keeping me on the straight and narrow, and to my lovely prereader, Sarah Teague, whose pimpin' skills are the rockinest.

Since this chapter and the next are short, and pretty introspective, I've decided to give you this one now and the next on Wednesday 'cause I love ya'll and your responses on this one have filled me up with the warm fuzzies.

Chapter 2: Week 4 "Implantation"

Over the next few weeks, I ran into a minor battle with Billy over Jake. At first, I'd believed that he was sick; his fever at the movies and Mike's projectile vomiting backed that up, but after talking to Quil and hearing the increasing irritation in Billy's voice when I called, I knew something was up. I decided, though, that I would wait for Jake to come to me. I was tired of chasing after boys, especially boys I had no interest in in _that_ way.

In any case, I was busy riding the high of having been deflowered. It may not have been a moment from a Nicholas Sparks novel, but I was officially a woman now. I kind of wanted to scream it to the world, but I didn't think Charlie wanted to hear that, and I didn't want to thank Quil for his...um...services with a bullet.

For the first couple weeks, I retreated into myself, relished in the deep ache between my thighs, and slid happily into the land of denial. Life seemed brighter there. There were no absent best friends with too obvious crushes, no asshole exes and disappearing families. I was still an animal, damn it.

My mother was the first to shake me out of my haze. I almost didn't answer when I saw it was her, but Charlie was sitting there, mentally willing me to pick up the phone. I figured that had something to do with him not wanting to deal with her. Coward.

Tucking the phone between my shoulder and ear, I trailed up the stairs radiating dejection as I answered.

"Hey, Mom."

"Where have you been? I haven't heard from you in months, Bella! Charlie says you were an absolute mess after that boy left. Do you want to come home? I can buy you a plane ticket right now. Did you know you can do that online these days?"

Laughing under my breath, I threw myself down on my bed and interrupted. "Breathe, Mom. I'm fine now; I promise. I was a little depressed for a bit, but I'm back to myself, and there's absolutely no reason for me to fly home."

A long pause drifted over the phone line. "There's a boy, isn't there?"

Does her crystal ball actually work? "No, there's no boy." I laughed nervously, mentally smacking myself for my complete inability to lie. It's not like the woman was standing in my room with a polygraph machine. "Why would you say that?"

"Bella, Bella, Bella, you can't lie to your mother, you know. Now tell me all about him. Is he cute?" She gasped dramatically and let out a delighted squeal. "Did you have sex? Ohmygod, my baby's not a virgin anymore. Was it good?"

Christ on a cracker, am I emitting some sort of pheromone that screams "Hey! Hey, I just got laid?" My face half buried in my pillows, I groaned and prayed silently for a meteor to strike me down.

"C'mon, Bella. You know you can talk to me."

Oh yeah, gossiping with my mother about my sexual exploits was right at the top of my must-do list. Right after a public pap smear, but before actually dying a virgin. "I'm not having sex mom. There has been no sex. Got it? No. Sex."

"No need to get so defensive. If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to. But just so you know, I've received a lot of compliments from past lovers, and I'm sure Phil would be willing to tell you how good I am in the sack."

Ugh, my whole body shuddered. The ick factor in this conversation was quickly reaching epic proportions. "Mom!"

"What? I'm just saying that if you need advice or tips, then I'm your girl. You probably shouldn't ask Charlie, though. Man always was a stick in the mud."

"And we're done. My eyes might actually be bleeding now, so thanks for that. I'll call you soon. Love you." Please God, stop talking.

Renee gave a husky laugh. "I love you, too, sweetie."

The next thirty minutes were spent debating the pros and cons of bathing in bleach. Only my mother could shrivel whatever metaphorical balls I'd managed to grow after my first sexual encounter in less time than it actually took to get laid.

"You alright up there, Bells?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Dad."

"It couldn't have been that bad."

I shot the floor an incredulous look. He was married to the woman. What the hell was he smoking down there? "Really, Dad? Really? That's cool. You can take the next one."

My words induced a coughing fit that led me to believe I may have been right about the secret pot stash. "Yeah, um, no that's cool kid. I believe you."

I snorted and rolled out of bed, deciding that, even if bleach was probably a bad plan, a shower sounded good. I never made it to the door, though.

A loose floorboard tripped me up and sent me flying forward onto my hands and knees. Cursing the world and Charlie for gifting me with my clumsiness, I shot my hand back to smack the floorboard and realized that it had been done purposefully.

The minute I wrenched it back, the outside world seemed to disappear. Why? Who would do something like this?

_It'll be as if I never existed._

Pictures. Of us and his family, the family I once assumed to be mine. My lullaby, I can still remember him singing it to me as he cradled me against his icy body late at night. Plane tickets to Phoenix. My hands shook as I pulled each memory out of the hole.

_The human mind is like a sieve._

Oh, Edward, so sure you were right. I was so sick of that patronizing attitude. No, Bella you look better in blue. Silly little human girl, just do as I say and everything will be fine. I flipped through the pictures, realizing for the very first time how...unreal everything looked. I stopped at one of Edward and I, his body so still, like a pale, ethereal rock. He looked at me as if I were a prize-winning science project. Look at how well we socialized the poor human. Isn't she adorable? Bastard.

How could I have missed this?

I was officially done. Scooping up the sad little pile, representing a past that seemed almost impossible now, I stomped down the stairs on my bare feet. Miraculously not tripping once. I dumped the stuff on the dining room table and began rifling through the kitchen drawers, in search of a lighter or matches.

Charlie shuffled in, looking baffled and a little scared. "Everything alright there, kiddo?"

"Boys are stupid."

"Huh." I saw him, from the corner of my eye, edging slowly back the way he'd come. "Well, if you don't need anything..."

Slamming one drawer shut, and flinging the next open, I continued my frantic search. "I just don't get why guys think they're so freakin' smart. Am I not capable of making my own decisions? Do I really need some asshole making them for me?"

"Um, you're right?"

"Hah," I crowed in triumph, brandishing a torch lighter Charlie used to light the grill.

That seemed to stop his not too subtle retreat. "Bells, honey, what exactly are you planning to do with that?"

Scooping up my pile, I headed out the back door. "I'm starting a bonfire. Care to join me?"

"No. No, I don't think so. Be careful?" There appeared to be visions of forest fires dancing in the poor man's head.

"Sure, Dad."

I made a pile in the middle of the backyard before taking a moment. This felt like a situation that called for some sort of ceremony, but that was more my mother's deal than mine.

Shrugging my shoulders, I touched the flame to the stack of photos and watched the fire take hold. "Fuck you, Edward Cullen."

I must've stood there for a good hour, watching my past burn to ash. I never realized how cathartic fire could be.

Turning on my heel, I walked purposefully back to my bedroom, blatantly ignoring my dad's arched eyebrow on my way past. How is it everyone is capable of doing that but me? I always just look really surprised.

I stripped out of my now smoky clothes and stood in front of the mirror, examining myself. My entrance into womanhood had not been heralded by any major changes in my body. My breasts hadn't suddenly sprung from my normal b-cup to a Pamela Anderson worthy rack, and my pale skin lacked that luminescent glow you hear about so often. I was still me, plain old Bella Swan.

As I turned to head into the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of a small mark on my hipbone. There it was: a tiny bruise marking the path his mouth had taken along my body. Like a signature. Quil was here.

I brushed my fingertips across the mark, remembering his body filling mine, how easily we fit together. It's strange to realize that an almost stranger felt more natural buried deep inside my body, than my ex had felt kissing me chastely on the lips.

I wondered what it said about me that I spent so long with a man who was completely unwilling to leave even a piece of himself behind, yet when I gave away my innocence, he left his mark on my body without shame. Smiling softly, I wrapped a towel around my body and shut off the light. I think it meant that I made the right choice in Quil.

The goofy boy from Jake's garage had managed to dig himself under my skin. Hopefully, that mark was all he managed to leave behind.

**P.S: Quil says, "I know you miss me ladies; I mean, I am kinda made of awesome, but the 'author' of this story (that crazy bitch) insisted that I couldn't even have a cameo in this chapter...or the next one. Something about pacing/plot and a need to get into Bella's head and establish the end of her relationship with the sparkle dick. Whatever. I'll totes be back in chapter four."**


	3. Chapter 3: Week 5 I'm So Late

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters and situations are the property of Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended."40 Weeks"

**A/N: **Thanks go to Maria Vilson and Sarah Teague for being the awesomest beta and prereader around. This story would still be rattling around in my brain, like slow, second place sperm who've lost their way, if it weren't for you ladies.

This'll be my last update on anything until after the holiday weekend (yes, I know I was a fail on Marked and the Twi 25 this week), so I hope you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Chapter 3: Week 5 "So, I'm Late"

Two small blue lines.

It seemed impossible that a cheap piece of plastic could change my life in such a big way, but here I sat, huddled on the floor of my father's bathroom, staring in abject horror at the evidence before me. I'm getting ahead of myself, though.

I'd managed to put the possible consequences of my walk on the mildly wild side to the back of my mind for the span of about a month, but the day my period didn't start when it should, I could no longer ignore reality. In a valiant attempt to shield myself from what was seeming more and more inevitable, I kept telling myself _tomorrow. It'll start tomorrow._

_One Day Late_

I was just beginning to realize how much I'd isolated myself after Ed—he, fuck it, Edward left. Without Jacob, my sun, the only constant in my life had become Charlie, and it was awkward. The man had never been good with emotional hot spots and this was so far beyond something he could help me with it wasn't even funny.

But, really, what was I supposed to say? "I'm so sorry Dad, but I think I might be pregnant. No. No, you don't actually know him, but he looked damn good with his shirt off, and I walked bowlegged for a week when he was done with me." Snorting, I wandered down to the kitchen from my room, attempting to ignore the ache in my breasts and the rolling of my stomach. I knew the nausea was from the stress of the situation, but I couldn't help but equate it to morning sickness. Gah!

_Keep it together, Swan. _

Grabbing a bag of baby carrots out of the veggie drawer in the fridge, I munched as I contemplated. If I were pregnant, I knew my whole world would change. It seemed so strange to consider a life growing inside of me; it wasn't that long ago when I'd been so intent on making my heartbeat disappear, on never experiencing this particular situation, that I found it almost impossible to comprehend.

As I nibbled on a carrot, I rested a palm on my stomach and closed my eyes. "If you're in there, it'll be okay. I promise."

_Three Days Late_

I had never been irregular. Never had the need to worry if I _was _late. My brain had become like one of those creepy mirror houses at carnivals. Step right up and take a freakin' number. If you look too close at any surface, at any one thought, you'll find yourself lost and most likely really creeped out. I'm assuming I inherited my crazy from my mother. An overdose of sunflower butter and essential oils will do that to you.

"Hopefully, if you're in there, you won't be the next Swan to develop that characteristic."

I'd taken to talking to my belly as if it were already a given. The idea that there was another potential person in there made me feel a little less alone as I contemplated the future. It wasn't often, and I only did it when I was sure no one else was around, but I figured it couldn't hurt if he or she were in there. Every child should know its mother's voice..

Oh God, that word. I was sprawled face down on my bed, in what had become my thinking position, and I decided that I had to just stop. Everyone always got on me for retreating into my head, and I realized as I watched the sunrise through my bedroom window, that they were right. Pregnant or not, I wouldn't know for a few more days, and I was only eighteen. I shouldn't be up at the crack of dawn worrying over things I couldn't change.

I pushed myself up and moved downstairs without tripping once. A minor miracle. With a mental pat on the back, I walked out the backdoor to enjoy the rarity that was a sunny day in the dismally rainy town of Forks. I was starting to think I'd always have a love/hate relationship with this place. I loved the incredible world I'd been introduced to in this tiny little town, the friends and more than friends that I'd picked up over the last year. The sad part was that I hated all of those things too. I attempted to meditate the way the monks at the Buddhist temple my mother had dragged me to had taught me.

Breathe in.

Charlie found me there a few hours later, eyes closed, and face raised toward the sky.

Breathe out.

"Nice day."

"Yeah," I said. "Yeah, it is."

_Four days Late_

My panic was rising. Tomorrow seemed more a looming threat now instead of a relief; I knew, somewhere down deep, that if I hadn't started yet, there was a good chance I wouldn't. I spent the day on First Beach, something about La Push made me feel safe to face my fears. Although I wasn't so much facing them as I was stewing in them.

The Jacob situation still weighed heavily on my mind as well. I'd finally stopped calling, and it was as if I could feel my already wounded heart crack open a little wider. I seemed to be spending my life being left behind by those I loved.

I felt small and insignificant as I sat cross-legged on the driftwood Jake had once proclaimed ours. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocky shore filled me with a peace that had been missing from my life for quite some time. This is what adults meant when they talked to you about growing up. I'd always considered myself to be an independent person, the parent in my mother/daughter relationship, the person who takes care of the world. But I was just now realizing that I needed to learn how to be strong for myself. I spent so long leaning on Edward and then Jacob, that I'd become lost in the mix somewhere along the line.

I could remember Renee telling me to buck up and smile before I got on the plane to move here. She'd told me to remember to "think happy" and that good things would come to me. So I sat in silence and tried. What could it hurt to believe, with everything I had, that tomorrow would bring what I needed? The fact that I felt like I had the most epic case of PMS in the history of Aunt Flo seemed to prove me right.

_Five Days Late_

It all came to a head when I broke down in the middle of lunch at school five days after my missed period. Angela proved herself to be a better than good Samaritan that day when she immediately came to my rescue, grabbing my backpack and hustling me to the most out of the way girls bathroom she could find.

"Bella? Can you tell me what's wrong?"

Resting my clammy forehead against the edge of one of the sinks, I sucked in a shaky breath and replied, "I'm late."

"I'm sorry. Um, late for what?"

"God Ange, I'm _late._"

It took her a second, but I could feel her entire body tense when it clicked. "Oh. Oh, my. I—what are you going to do?" A hesitant note had entered her voice, one that at any other time I could completely understand, but at the moment, all I wanted was for someone to tell me what to do.

"It's been mostly crossed fingers and desperate prayers up to this point," I muttered. When all else fails, insert sarcasm. Swallowing what felt like a mouthful of rocks, I continued, "I guess I need to buy a, you know, test."

"I don't mean to sound insensitive, but the minute you walk into the pharmacy and buy an EPT, the entire town will have you pregnant with the quadruplet love children of Mike Newton."

I shuddered. "Ugh. I hadn't even thought about that. Out of town it is then."

One hand gently rubbing my shoulders, she huffed a small, grim laugh. "How do you feel about a trip to Port Angeles?"

"Really?"

"Of course."

This. This is why Angela was the only person at Forks HS I actually liked. I could feel a small amount of tension leak from my body. "I feel better. Still stressed, but better. Thanks."

Reaching up a hand to help me off the floor, she offered me an encouraging smile. "That's what friends are for Bella. I'll even hold your hand while you wait for your results if you want."

The rest of the day seemed to crawl by at a glacial pace. The empty seat in biology didn't even bother me; I was more focused on the discussion about mitosis and meiosis and cursing Quil's possible super sperm. Damn it, now I couldn't stop picturing tiny sperm in little red capes racing through my fallopian trues, shouting, "Eyes on the prize, men! Eyes on the prize!"

After my last class finally ended, I sent a quick text to Charlie to let him know I was going shopping with Angela and hopped in her Honda to head to the closest pharmacy that could offer me anonymity. The ride there was mostly silent outside of halting small talk and the low hum of the radio.

When the quiet became too heavy, she turned down the radio and asked me the question I'd been trying to avoid answering, even to myself. "What will you do? If you are, I mean."

"Keep it." The answer came so easily to me, as if it had been hovering beneath the surface, just waiting to be acknowledged. "I don't know how, but I'd keep it."

"I'm glad."

And that was the end of that conversation, she turned the radio up and I went back to gazing forlornly out the window.

I would have thought that buying the test would be one of the worst parts of this whole scenario. It wasn't. While I had vague thoughts about my very first walk of shame, I got in, made my purchase, and got out, all while patting myself on the back for not clutching her hand like a kindergartner on her first day of school. I _did_ feel like nailing the pimply cashier in the nuts when he wouldn't stop glancing from the box to me and back again, but the word "nail" reminded me why I was there in the first place, and I realized how truly unimportant the douche was.

It was the traffic's fault that I found myself sitting alone staring at those little blue lines. Angela had planned to have me home before Charlie got off work, so that she could come inside for moral support, but we got stuck on the wrong side of a tractor trailer accident. By the time I walked in my front door, Charlie was frantic, and I was alone; Angela had to race home to take her little brothers to karate.

Over the next two hours, I burned dinner, twice, and stuttered every time I tried to speak to my dad. I could tell he knew something was up, but he had a tried and true "don't ask because you might not want to know" policy which served me well that night.

After picking at a bowl of what I think was spaghetti, I plodded up to my room and pulled out the little box of horror. I'd though I'd buy a dozen different tests like they always do in the movies, but once I saw that they were fifteen bucks a pop, I quickly disregarded that plan. I spent another hour reading the instructions and Googling whether or not I actually needed to wait until morning to take the damn thing. Stupid dial up internet connection.

Then, inevitably, I came to the moment of reckoning. Breaking out the innocuous, plastic stick, I chugged a bottle of Gatorade and did my business, only peeing on my hand a little. Seriously though, how the hell are you supposed to take one of those things without spritzing yourself?

And there they were. Two small, unassuming, blue lines staring me in the face. I sat on the bathroom floor, my arms wrapped around my knees, and the test gripped tightly in a trembling hand. What the fuck was I supposed to do now?

**P.S: Quil says, "I'm making a come back next week, baby! Are you ready for me?"**


	4. Chapter 4: Week 6 Congratulations

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters and situations are the property of Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.

**A/N: **Thanks go to Maria Vilson and Sarah Teague for being the awesomest beta and prereader around. I've decided I will be doing some outtakes from Quil's POV, ya'll have most definitely spoken, so once I finish up the final two or three chaps of Marked, I'm going to start with his POV of their first time and what's been going on in his life over the last month.

The Public Lovin' Contest is now open for voting, if you haven't checked out my fic Desecrate Me and the other wonderful entries, you should do that in the near future and cast your vote for most scandalous location.

Thanks for all the lovely reviews and PMs, I'm so excited you guys are enjoying this story, and your insightful words push me to write faster :)

* * *

"40 Weeks"

Chapter 4: Week 6 "Congratulations, You're Gonna be a Daddy"

The next day Angela found me at lunch. All it took was a slight nod for her to understand. Yup. I was pregnant. She left it alone while others were around, offering me a sympathetic smile, but she caught me on my way out the door toward my truck.

"Do you want to go get a cup of coffee?"

I really did. "Sure. I'll meet you at the diner?"

She agreed and moved off toward her little Honda. I kept my head down in the parking lot, and the luck fairy must have been on my side for once, because I managed to avoid a run in with Mike or the harpies. Five minutes later, I pulled into Forks's one and only diner and joined Angela in a booth toward the back.

We both ordered coffee and then stared at each other awkwardly.

"So..." I had no idea what I was supposed to say in this situation.

"Oh, Bella. What are you going to do?"

I sighed and took a sip of my coffee before wrinkling my nose at the gray sludge in my chipped mug. Seriously unappetizing. "I'm not completely sure, but I guess I need to tell the, um, the father and set up a doctor's appointment to confirm. Or do I confirm first? Ugh, this is so confusing."

She nodded, before looking down and fiddling with the sugar packets in front of her. "Can I ask...is it Jacob's? I know you've been spending a lot of time with him recently. He seemed really good for you, actually. Although, isn't he kind of young?"

Her eyes met mine once again when a small noise escaped my throat. I shook my head. "No, it's not Jacob's." No need to tell her my baby daddy (could this situation get any more Springerish?) was the same age as Jacob.

"I see. Do you think he'll support you?"

"Who, Jake?"

Angela let out a startled laugh and shifted in her seat. "I meant the father."

"Oh. Um, I think so?" Shaking my head at the lack of conviction in my voice I tried again. "We're not in a relationship or anything, but he's a really good guy. I've known him since I was a kid and I can't imagine him not stepping up."

God, I hoped I was right. What if he didn't want this? Who am I kidding; what teenager in their right mind would actually _want _this? Would he send me packing? Now I felt like I was going to hurl all over the table. "But he _is_ a teenage boy. Crap, I just don't know Ange. I guess I'll just have to tell him and see."

"Well, I'll be here. I hope you know that."

"I do, Ange. And I should probably apologize for being such a shitty friend for the last while. I was so sucked in to my relationship with Ed—Edward, and after, well after I just wasn't home for a while."

She patted my hand and smiled. "It's fine Bella. I understand what it's like to fall in love for the first time, and how much it hurts to have your heart broken for the first time."

"So," she shot me a cheeky grin, "do you think it's a boy or a girl?"

I laughed. "I have no idea, but I think I'm rooting for a boy. At least a boy can't show up pregnant one day."

"Nope, he'll just be knocking the local ladies up."

We burst into peals of laughter that had me clutching my stomach and wiping the tears from my eyes. It wasn't really that funny, but my hysteria and her sympathy came together in a giggle fit that relieved at least a bit of the tension riding me. "Thanks, I needed that."

"Any time."

The waitress came over to pick up the check, and I tossed a few dollars on the table for a tip before walking out the door with my arm looped through Angela's.

"When do you think you'll do it?" she asked as we came to my truck.

I took a deep breath and said, "Now. I'll do it now before I lose my nerve."

"Good luck. And Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"Call me. Anytime."

"Thanks." I leaned in for a one-armed hug and hoisted myself into my truck to head to La Push. _Please be okay about this, Quil._

I didn't know if I could do this by myself.

I pushed the beast to its limit and made it to his house in just under thirty minutes. I could do this. Breathe in.

He met me at the door, a half-hearted smile on his face, and jeez, how much can you grow in a month? "Quil?"

"Hey, Bella. What are you doing here?"

There was an odd undertone in his voice, but I pushed it aside, needing to just tell him and get it over with. "Um, do you have a sec?"

He glanced over his shoulder before turning back to me and nodding. "Yeah, sure." Stepping through the door, he came to stand beside me on the small front porch and stuck his hands in the pockets of his cut offs. "So, what's up?"

It took me a second to answer since I'd become completely distracted by the large expanse of bare skin he was showing off. Reddish-brown skin stretched tight over thick muscle and an eight-pack that was just...beautiful. I shook my head to prevent a dreamy sigh. "You're not wearing a shirt."

He barked a laugh and it was as if some tension eased from his stance at my words. "No, I'm not. Like what you see?"

There was the charmer I'd gotten to know in Jake's garage. Before the sex and the confusion and those stupid blue lines.

"You might want to sit down."

His body tensed at the seriousness in my voice, and I heard rustling from inside the house. "Is someone else here?"

"You should probably just spit it out. You're making me nervous."

Right, spit it out. "I'm pregnant." I blurted, and then the quiet yard exploded.

"What?"

He didn't have a chance to say anything else before the yard filled up with a pack of half-naked Quileute boys in matching cutoffs. One of them grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him around the back of the house before I could figure out what was going on. I moved to follow before I realized that one of the muscle-bound bodies was Jake. "Jake?"

"You need to leave, Bells." There was a hard cast to his face that I'd never seen before.

"Um, actually, I need to talk to Quil. We were kind of in the middle of a conversation."

"Yeah, I heard. Congratulations on the baby, Bella." I couldn't look at him now; his tone made me feel dirty, like I'd done something wrong. "You still need to leave. Now."

"But—"

"Yo, preggo," one of the other guys shouted. "He said leave. Bye now."

The sudden shot of testosterone had me uncomfortable and a little frightened, so I began edging toward my truck. "Oh—okay, could you maybe tell Quil to give me a call when he's ready to talk?"

I left then, holding back tears I refused to let fall. What the fuck was that?

The drive home happened in one long blink of the eye. I was in such a daze, I looked up from the road only to realize I was already home. Luckily, Charlie seemed to still be at work, so I wouldn't have to explain my zombie imitation.

What had happened to sweet, goofy Quil? And Jake, my sunny, happy Jake had actually scared me. When I'd headed out to La Push, I'd expected an unpleasant conversation, but the scene I was met with defied the powers of my imagination. Did that actually happen? Are they on steroids?

I was so lost in shock that I almost missed it, a flash of silver dancing in the shadows along the treeline. A trick, I thought at first, but then the flash morphed into fur and I caught a glimpse of bone white—teeth.

Slipping slowly out of the car, I walked toward what I could only think to be an animal. All the while, a soundtrack ran through my head as I silently berated myself for behaving like the dumb bimbo I always yelled at in horror movies. My lack of self-preservation was a long acknowledged personality trait though.

It's probably just a stray dog, I told myself. "Here puppy. Nice puppy."

A low growl, followed by what appeared to be an incredulous chuffing noise, echoed across the yard before the thing stepped out into the light.

"It's a...you're a...ohmygod I think I might've peed myself." I stood face to chest with a wolf the size of a pick-up truck. "Um, please don't eat me."

That's when it hit me. Stories told by a sunny boy at the edge of a blue bonfire.

"Cold ones."

The beast growled, the sound shaking the ground at its feet.

"If those are real...then..."

I stared in astonishment at the freakin' _werewolf_ that was quite possibly a boy I knew. A big, strong, overheated boy I knew.

"Son of a bitch! This is what all that crap was about. Isn't it?"

I didn't stop to be confused by the fact that the giant, mythical boy/beast seemed a little intimidated by little old, rapidly descending into hysterics, me.

"Boys," I told him, with a completely serious face, "are stupid."

If it were possible for a mutant wolf to laugh, he was doing it. Reaching out without thinking, I popped him on the snout and asked, "So, which one are you? Quil?" I hoped it was Quil. Please give a shit.

He shook his head.

"Jake?"

No, not Jake. "Can't you just, you know, poof back to human so we can have an actual conversation?"

Apparently the answer was no, because between one breath and the next, he was gone. That was just fine. I marched right back around the house and climbed back into my truck. Somebody was gonna start talking.

Thirty minutes later, I was right back where I'd started, standing in Quil's front yard surrounded by half-naked man candy. Angry looking man candy.

"Bells?" Quil shifted toward me, his whole body seemed to be straining in my direction.

I was grateful that he seemed to care. "So, which wolf did I meet today?" I asked nonchalantly.

Silence reigned.

"C'mon boys, it was obviously one of you. Unless you know of another pack of shape shifters roaming around Forks?"

"Jake," Sam ground out. Ah, so I guess that's why he's considered the local gang leader. He's the top dog, so to speak.

"It wasn't me; I was here the whole time," Jake sputtered, looking a cross between pissed off and freaked out.

"Then who...?"

All eyes seemed to focus in on two boys standing in the far corner of the yard. One was Embry, who I thought was a good contender for spiller of secrets, the other was the ass who'd called me "preggo" earlier.

"I didn't do anything," Embry muttered.

"It obviously wasn't Paul," Sam said.

Did it really matter who spilled the damn beans? "Look, it doesn't matter which one it was because I already knew the legends. They just helped me figure out that they were real."

"Um, yeah," Jake mumbled, a sheepish look crossing his face, "that one was me."

"Idiot." Sam smacked him upside his head. "Billy's going to chew your ass out."

"Look, can I just talk to Quil? Now that the big, scary secret is out in the open, I've got more important things to worry about at the moment."

"No."

"Excuse me? Look, Sam, I get that you're apparently in charge of the puppy fest here, but since it's obviously not your sperm floating around in my uterus, this has nothing to do with you."

Whoops, I'd apparently pushed one button too many, because the now furious behemoth took a menacing step toward me.

Then, thank God, Quil spoke for the first time. "Sam."

"You're too volatile right now."

"I'd say you're a little too volatile right now."

"Son of a bitch," he growled. I was pretty sure I hadn't made a new BFF. "Stay human." There was a timber to those words that shook me straight to my core. I kind of wanted to roll belly up and bare my throat.

Sam ghosted out of the yard and the other boys followed, even Jake, though he lingered for a moment, casting a pained glance in my direction. The silence was heavy as my gaze finally met Quil's.

"C'mere." He hooked his hands around my waist and hauled me into him.

That was all it took. I burst into, well-deserved, tears.

He held me the whole time, running a soothing hand up and down my spine and whispering nonsensical words into my hair. This was all I needed, someone to hold me while I fell apart.

"I'm sorry." I sniffled and wiped my damp face across his chest. He made no comment about the fact that he was most likely now wearing my snot. "I didn't mean to break down all over you."

"You know you don't have to be scared of me, right?" He tugged my chin up, gently, to get me to look at him.

"I know. It's not that." I ghosted a hand down my still flat stomach. "It's this. I'm...scared."

"Yeah," he sighed. "Me too."

"I haven't even graduated yet," I wailed, hiccuping at the tail end of it. "And you're only sixteen, still a baby."

He raised his eyebrows and gave a lecherous grin. "You didn't think I was a baby that night. And I'm seventeen."

"Huh?"

"I got held back after I missed almost all of ninth grade thanks to an unfortunate case of mono."

"Really?"

He laughed and squeezed me. "Really. I'll be eighteen in three months. And I passed my GED last semester. No more high school for me."

"Oh, good. I feel less like a creepy cradle robber now."

Guiding me with a hand at the small of my back, he led me over to the porch steps and settled me between his legs, my back cuddled to his front. "Is everything okay? You know, with the baby?"

I sighed in contentment, he was so warm. "Well, I haven't been to the doctor yet or anything, but so far no bad symptoms. I think my boobs grew though. And they're kinda sore."

"They did."

"What?"

"Your boobs. They grew."

"Perv." I reached back to smack him, pretending like I wasn't smiling.

He wrapped his arms around me, one large hand rubbing small circles on my stomach. "It'll be okay you know."

I was starting to think he was right.

**P.S: Quil says, "You didn't really think I'd be an asshole about this, did ya? I mean, holy shit, that's _my_ puppy. Puppies. Ohmygod, what if it _is _a puppy. *runs in circles* How would that even work, anyway? That's just...a lot of limbs, and Bella's really, um, tiny. **

**Christ on a crustacean, I'm gonna have to talk pussy with the Elders...and let's not forget her Dad's a cop. My ass is too pretty to be shot. Are you praying for me yet? Any great words of wisdom?"**


	5. Chapter 5: Week 7 Intro to Werewolves

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters and situations are the property of Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.

**A/N: **Thanks go to Maria Vilson and Sarah Teague for being the awesomest beta and prereader around.

This week in the Go Crazy household: a kidney infection, a husband still traumatized by his viewing of my mother's underwear on Thanksgiving, dried vomit in the kid's bathroom sink, two dogs stuffed full of coffee grounds dumpster dived out of the trash can, and three sentences written *facepalms* Life's been interesting, folks. I'm gonna go feed my muse doughnuts. Hopefully, the bitch is just hungry.

"40 Weeks"

Chapter 5: Week 7 "Morning Sickness and Intro to Werewolves 101"

A few days later, I found myself in the middle of what was, apparently, a routine pack meeting. I felt like I'd wandered into enemy territory, and I was pretty sure my stomach was preparing to revolt.

Fortunately for me, and the nice lady who'd handed me a muffin, Quil chose that moment to walk through the door. Ooh, he was looking all sorts of yummy in what I was quickly learning was the standard pack uniform of cut-off jeans and nothing else. Yum. He came right to me, as if we were magnetized.

Squatting down beside my perch on the couch, he brushed a hank of hair out of my eyes and smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"A little nauseous," I admitted, blushing at the intense scrutiny.

"Anything I can do?"

"Crackers," a soft voice cut in.

I looked up in surprise; I'd forgotten we weren't alone in the room. It was the muffin lady.

Quil grinned and whispered, "Emily."

"How'd you know?"

"You're easy to read." He turned toward Emily. "Crackers?"

"Yes, and ginger tea. My mother swears by both to cure morning sickness. Would you like me to get you some?" She asked me, a genuinely pleasant smile on her face, making the scars marring one side seem inconsequential.

"Um, if it's not too much trouble." I really wasn't sure how much longer I could hold it in. I had a feeling my face was turning an unhealthy shade of pale.

"It's no problem." She bustled off to what I assume was the kitchen, and Quil settled down beside me on the couch.

His hands quickly lulled me into a false sense of security. The man had some sort of magic in his touch; all it took was a couple minutes of gentle rubbing and I was stretching like a cat, total putty.

A derisive snort interrupted my petting session. Jake had, apparently, been glaring at me the whole time.

"Something you want to say?"

"No, you two are just being awfully...cuddly." He managed to make that sound like a dirty word.

I felt Quil tense up at his tone and placed a hand on his thigh to calm him. "And?"

"And nothing. Just wondering how a pity fuck turned into babies and all this touchy feely shit."

Excuse me? I could feel an angry red haze approaching. If Jake weren't such a raging dumb ass, he'd realize that he'd crossed a line. "I'm sorry? Pity fuck?"

"Well, yeah. Obviously you just fucked Quil because I wasn't taking your calls."

Oh no he didn't. I attempted to dive at him, but the buff arms around me had me locked tight. "Let me go."

"No," he murmured. "You'll just hurt yourself on his hard head."

"It would be worth it," I growled, noting with satisfaction that the big, bad wolf looked a little scared and Quil's arms were straining a bit to keep me reined in.

"That's enough."

Oh, look. The head dog had arrived. Someone across the room fell into a coughing fit that sounded suspiciously like laughter. I tilted my chin up and looked sheepishly at Quil. "Did I say that out loud?"

"Yeah, you did."

No wonder the raging ball of testosterone looked ready to explode. "Huh, my bad."

"You..."

"Isn't it time to start the meeting?" Emily asked sweetly as she bustled back into the room with a small wooden tray.

Sam shook it off, and after a final glare in my direction, took a silent head count. It only seemed like there was an entire football team stuffed into the small room. Aside from Quil and Sam, there were four others. Jacob, the raging douche, Embry, Paul, and one who I'd yet to see speak at all. He was wrapped so tightly around a small girl, that I couldn't even see her.

Whoops, Sam was talking. "We need to put a full-time watch on Seth Clearwater for the next few weeks. Harry says he's outgrown all his clothes and he's hot enough to fry an egg on."

Muttering and covert cursing filled the room, but I was blissfully unaware of the rising tension. This tea was spectacular. Apparently, my mental moaning was not as mental as I thought. The first sign was the large erection pressing into my hip. I gave a little wiggle, just to be sure, and he let out a soft groan.

The second sign was not quite so pleasant. Sam had stopped talking and was staring at me.

"Oh, sorry. This tea is amazing, Emily. Thank you so much."

"Oh it's no problem, sweetie. I have a whole tin of it, if you'd like to take some with you."

Taking another long, satisfying sip, I nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, please. My stomach already feels better."

The Alpha cleared his throat and moved his head slowly between the two of us. The effect was mildly blown when his face softened the minute he looked at Emily, though. Pussy-whipped. He shook it off the minute he was facing me again, though. "Are you done? Because we can wait."

The sarcasm was unnecessary. Settling closer into the cuddly warmth, I lifted my cup and waved my hand. "I'm good."

"Thanks so much," he said dryly. "Sightings of the red-headed leech have picked up, so I've increased the patrol schedule—"

"Oh, oh." I raised my hand, shifting impatiently in my seat.

Sam shot me an incredulous look. "What now?"

"Stop wiggling," Quil muttered a little desperately into my hair.

"Sorry," I grinned. I wasn't. Turning to Sam, I took a minute to remember what I'd wanted to say. Oh, yeah. "Victoria."

"I'm sorry?"

"The red head. Her name's Victoria. Although, I prefer the name Icky Vicky. Makes her seem a little less scary, dontcha think?"

Those broad shoulders slumped and his head fell loose on his neck. "Of course you know her."

"I'm not calling a truce on this bitch just because Quil's little friend wants to make friendship bracelets with it." A random voice shouted. I couldn't tell which one it was.

"Hey," I called out around a mouthful of cracker, pausing to wipe crumbs off my boobs. They _were _getting bigger. "That was uncalled for. I didn't say we were friends. I just said I knew who she was."

"Do you know what she wants?"

"Me."

I was unceremoniously pulled into Quil's lap. "Explain." His voice had a hard edge to it that I wasn't aware he was capable of. It made my panties a little damp. Which he could, apparently, smell. His nostrils flared and his lips twitched, but he refused to be distracted.

"Um," I stuttered, squirming in my overheated seat. "Right, her mate attacked me, bit me, and the Cullens killed him. She wants revenge. Mate for a mate."

"Why aren't you a vampire?" Embry, I think, asked.

I looked at Quil, a little worried by the dangerous cast to his face. "Edward sucked the venom out. See?" I held my scarred wrist up for him to inspect.

He rubbed a thumb gently over the silvery patch of skin before saying to the room in general, "I'm on her guard."

"Quil..."

"24/7, Sam."

"She's not an—"

"She's carrying my child."

I was missing something, but I figured I could con it out of him later. The argument seemed to be over anyway.

"Fine." Sam continued to speak about patrol schedules and other boring things. I fell asleep. Did I mention my perch was really comfortable?

I woke up to soft touches on my face. Quil was feathering his fingers across my forehead, my cheekbones, my lips.

"Hi." I burrowed further into him, sighing in pleasure. He was like a giant, rock hard teddy bear.

"Hi yourself. Want to go get some lunch?"

I looked up in shock. We were alone. "Were'd everybody go?"

His chest rumbled as he laughed, vibrating my whole body. "The meeting ended about thirty minutes ago. Did you know you snore?"

I huffed. "Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not." My stomach chose that moment to let out a ferocious growl. "Food."

"I'd say so." He grinned.

"I totally win, by the way." I sat up and stood, but immediately regretted it. He caught me before the dizziness won, but I puked all over that pristine, tan carpet.

"Whoops." I wiped my mouth on my sleeve and blinked back the tears. I _hated_ puking.

"Yeah slugger, you won that one. You okay?" He pulled my hair back and hugged me to him.

"I need a toothbrush."

He went to settle me back on the couch. "That can be arranged, just let me clean this up."

"Oh, I can do it."

"Go on, you two. I've got this," Emily piped in.

Jesus. She was like a tiny, little ninja.

"You sure, Em?"

"Of course."

"C'mon, sweetheart. Let's go find you that toothbrush and something to eat."

I nodded and followed him, clutching his hand like a lifeline.

We ended up at his place. He lived in a small cabin at the back of his grandfather's property apparently. When we had sex, his mom and grandfather had both been away, so he'd been taking care of the big house, he explained. He usually spent a couple days each week in his childhood bedroom. Made his mom feel better about her teenager living independently.

The cabin was small and cozy. Comfy oversized furniture and warm wood paneling along the walls. It smelled like him, making me instantly relaxed.

"Sandwiches okay?" he asked, after showing me where the bathroom was, handing me a freshly opened toothbrush, and heading toward the small galley kitchen to the left of the living room.

"That sounds great."

He piled a plate with turkey and cheddar on white and guided me to the dining room table. "I'd say let's eat outside, but it's still pretty cold, even for March in the north."

"Yeah," I agreed, diving face first into my lunch.

We ate in a comfortable silence, him putting away five to my one and a half. When I was finished, I leaned back and unsnapped the top button of my jeans. I was gonna have to watch my appetite, if I didn't want to turn into the good year blimp during this pregnancy.

"So, you're a werewolf."

"Yeah, well a shape shifter."

I nodded, not really understanding the difference, but figuring it wasn't all that important. "Can I see you?"

"Like as a wolf?"

"Yeah."

He grinned and pulled me up and right out the door, only pausing to grab the throw off the couch and wrap it around me. "Don't move."

I hummed my agreement and watched him jog into the yard. My attention was all on him, though, when he started peeling off his clothes.

"What...what are you doing?"

A knowing smile curved his lips. "Can't phase with my clothes on."

"Oh."

And then my baby daddy went poof and was replaced with a ridiculously large wolf.

"Holy shit."

I walked up to him and marveled. "You're beautiful." His coat was a lovely shade of cinnamon, a close match to the mouthwatering tone of his skin, and his eyes were still that soft brown.

What I think was a smile crossed his face and he gently butted me with his head.

Giggling softly, I reached my hand up to scratch his ears. A low groan slipped out of his...snout? "You like that huh?"

He nodded and settled down on the ground after a few turns to get comfy. Smiling at his puppy like behavior, I set out to explore. His weak spot appeared to be his belly. When I got there, rubbing my hand through his fur, he sprawled out on his back and gave a happy growl.

"Some big, bad wolf," I said, laughing in delight.

We played and cuddled for the rest of the afternoon, curling up together on his couch to watch movies and eat pizza after he phased back. If this was what it was like, to be with a werewolf, then I found myself thinking that I just might like it. A lot.

When he took me home that night, driving me over in my truck and planning to run back, he passed me a brown paper bag with the top folded down.

"What's this?"

"For tomorrow," he murmured. Hugging me and placing a sweet kiss on my forehead before pushing me toward the door. He was still standing there when it closed behind me.

I walked quietly up the stairs, not wanting to disturb a sleeping Charlie and changed into some PJs before looking inside the bag. The goofy, muscle-bound boy had made me a small care package for the morning. Nestled together at the bottom of the bag was a tin of ginger tea and a single sleeve of saltines.

Setting my gifts carefully on my bedside table, I crawled into bed and fell into a dreamless sleep with a smile.

**A/N:**__I know, I know, Sam and Jake were total dicks. Just keep in mind that since this in Bella's POV only, we have no idea what other character's motivations are. Keep the faith, nobody's completely evil; they're just human...kind of.

**P.S: Quil says, "So, to recap: The Alpha's on a power trip, Jake's gonna get his face broken, and she's not my i...well, that's not really important, is it? The care package was totally sweet, wasn't it? I know, I know. Just don't tell her Emily handed it to me on my way out. I gotta get my points where I can, my lovelies."**


	6. Chapter 6: Due Dates

**Disclaimer: Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters and situations are the property of Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.

**A/N: **Thanks go to Maria Vilson and Sarah Teague for being the awesomest beta and prereader around.

Sorry for the super late update all. My vision's been acting up, and we're slowly getting it back under control, but I haven't been able to read much of anything for a week and a half now. My hubs is looking over this for me, lol. Don't worry, though. While what I've written is going to require some serious editing; I have been writing.

"40 Weeks"

Chapter 6: Week 8 "Due Dates and Doctor's Appointments"

I'd finally mustered up the nerve to go to the doctor's, and Quil had decided, as the father to be, that he needed to tag along. I was not convinced. There was something strange about taking your one night stand turned father of your unborn child to a place where a stranger would be poking around in your vagina.

Not wanting to break the fragile peace we'd established, I agreed and that's how I found myself strapped into the passenger seat of my own truck, on the way to see the doctor.

I spent most of the ride to the Rez fidgeting. He finally grabbed the hand closest to him and trapped it against his thigh. "Calm down. This is just to confirm that you're pregnant and to get those vitamins, right?"

"Yeah. Right."

"And you're okay with seeing someone on the Rez? It's just that he or she needs to be born on La Push to be considered Quileute." He seemed anxious about my answer, even though we'd already had this discussion—twice.

"It's fine. I didn't really like the gyno I was seeing in Port Angeles anyway. He was kinda old and creepy. Not to mention he had really big hands."

Quil choked and squeezed my hand. "That's...disturbing."

"How would you like some dude with giant hands examining your prostate?" I asked, attempting (and failing) to raise an eyebrow.

"You have a point." He reached over to turn on the radio, but found empty space instead. "What happened here?"

I looked, embarrassed, at the wires hanging from the dash. "I got a little, um, emotional and removed it."

"With what, a knife?"

"My bare hands?" I have no idea why that came out as a question.

"Huh. What'd it do to you?"

I sighed and scooted closer to his warmth, resting my head against his shoulder. "Emmett bought it for me."

"Ah," he sighed. "A Cullen. The big one?"

It was surprising to realize

that I hadn't thought about the Cullens in weeks. Not since I burned what he'd left behind. I wondered if that meant I was finally moving on, growing up? Considering the fact that I was pregnant, I certainly hoped so.

"Hey, you still with me?"

"Oh, yeah, that's the one. He was kind of like my big brother there for a while. Before they left." The words came easily, no lump in my throat or pain in my chest. I was free of them.

He rubbed a thumb across the back of my hand, as if he knew what I was feeling. I'd never had someone so attuned to me before. With Jake, his obliviousness regarding my feelings kept a barrier between us. I could never really let go, since I had to be on guard for the possibility of his tongue attempting to invade my mouth.

And Edward, he'd been so sure of what was right, that he never really stopped to see what I was thinking or feeling, except when the fascination of my silent mind came into play.

"Penny for 'em?"

I laughed and hugged his arm to me. "It wouldn't be worth it. Besides," I pointed toward the building we'd just pulled up in front of, "it looks like we're here."

Moving over to climb out, I was confused when his grip on my hand tightened. His face was serious as he spoke. "You know you can talk to me, right?"

"Yeah, of course." I wasn't really sure where he was going with this, but I didn't want him to think I was keeping secrets. My random thoughts had just been unimportant.

"I mean, I know this isn't exactly the way we would have planned for things to happen, but I'm here for you. Whatever you need. Ice cream or pickles or foot rubs. I just...I'm not saying this right, but you're not alone and I'm not going anywhere."

My vision was blurry from the rising tears, but I managed to hold them back, sniffling quietly as I stretched up to place a kiss on his cheek. "I think you said it just fine."

"Alright then, enough of that mushy stuff. Let's go see what you're cookin' in there." He opened the driver-side door and hopped out before pulling me over and helping me down.

"I could've gotten out."

"I know. But I wanted to help." His puppy dog eyes were killer. This did not bode well for the rest of my pregnancy. All he needed was a quivering bottom lip and I might sell him my soul just to make it stop. I'm such a sucker.

He kept me tucked under his arm as we walked in, and I was glad for it once we entered the lobby. The large array of pregnant women and their harried husbands freaked me out. And on the far wall was a diagram of how to put on a condom, I think. It's not rocket science people: hold penis steady and sheath.

I gave my name to the oblivious lady at the desk and we went to sit. Apparently, we were fascinating because everyone was staring. I chose to believe it was Quil's hotness drawing the eyes toward us. He was kinda lickable.

"Do you think she's having triplets?" Quil leaned down to whisper in my ear.

Glancing at the woman he was talking about from the corner of my eye, I shuddered. Jesus, did I just see something move in there? "God, I hope so. That's not going to happen to me, right?"

"I sincerely hope not."

I was quickly realizing that pregnancy was not pretty.

"Bella Swan."

We stood up in unison and headed in the nurse's direction. "Do you remember the rules?"

He heaved a put upon sigh and recited the rules he'd been forced to agree to before I'd let him come. "Sit at the head of the bed, look only at your face, and make no mention of the fact that someone will be poking around in your private place."

Giggling at the term 'private place,' I stopped and waited. "And?"

"Really?"

"Really."

"No looking at the scale or trying to con the number out of the nurses."

Deep breath in. "Okay. Let's do this."

The nurse stopped next to a scale in the hallway and gestured me toward it. Quil dutifully turned his back while I slipped off my shoes and climbed aboard. After an eternity of fiddling with the stupid sliding thingy, she opened her mouth and I started to wave my arms around.

"Don't say it!"

She shot an amused look at his shaking back and marked something down on her file. "Alright, follow me please."

The exam room was pretty standard, although there were some pretty photos of La Push framed on the walls. One of them, in particular, caught my attention. It was a stunning color photo of the cliffs in the middle of a thunder storm, taken from down on the beach. The waves crashing against the rocks and the sky full of black storm clouds.

I was distracted by the blood pressure cuff unceremoniously shoved on my arm. "Hmm, 130/85. That's a little high."

"Yeah well, I'm a little stressed."

"Be nice," Quil said, laughing under his breath.

I offered the nurse a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now."

"That's perfectly understandable," she said, patting my shoulder. "You just relax, the midwife will be with you in just a few minutes."

Wait, what? Midwife? She was gone before I could ask, so I whipped around to face Quil, almost tumbling right off the table. "Midwife? I thought I was here to see a doctor?"

The panic must have been written all over my face, because he was between my legs, gripping my cheeks, in a split second. "Breathe, sweetheart, Sue's great and there's just not a lot of call for a full time OB down here. She's been doing this for thirty years though; that's a lot of babies."

That was great. Absolutely fucking wonderful. "But what about the drugs?"

"You won't need them," stated (an obviously insane) voice from behind Quil.

"Oh yes, I will."

A pretty middle-aged woman with thick black hair, only slightly streaked with gray, slipped around the hulking form in front of me and smiled. "We have many different ways of helping you through the pain, dear. I promise it will be just fine. I'm Sue Clearwater, by the way."

I didn't believe her, but if there was anything Renee had taught me it was to be polite. Or as she explained it, "Rudeness darkens your aura, Bella. Do you really want to walk around wrapped in a nasty, black cloud?"

Nailing Quil with a I-will-not-forget-this glare, I offered the woman a halfhearted smile. "Bella Swan. It's nice to meet you."

We shook hands before she did something I didn't expect, she sat her stack of papers down and came to sit in front of me, looking right at me. In my experience, doctors and other medical people talk to you with their heads buried in your file. There was one dude my mom took me to, before she decided homeopathy was the way, that walked into the room without a word and sat fiddling with his computer for ten minutes before he ever said hello to us. That was our first and last visit to him.

"So, tell me how you've been feeling."

"Pretty good," I said, shifting on the paper table covering. "Nothing overwhelming, at least. I'm still kind of busy processing the fact that I'm pregnant."

"You should tell her about the morning sickness, and your breasts have been really sore," Quil cut in.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I think you just did."

Sue laughed and patted my hand. "It's good that he's paying attention. You'll need that later when the hormones take over and you need foot rubs after a long day."

She was right, I knew. He was truly stepping up, and while this responsible man didn't really mesh with my image of the goofy boy, I was glad for it. The truth was that I was scared. Someone to hold my hand and tell me everything would be okay seemed just the thing to make me feel better right now.

"Both morning sickness and tender breasts are common symptoms for the first trimester. Have you tried crackers or tea to settle your stomach in the mornings?"

I nodded yes. "Emily gave me some ginger tea that really seems to work."

"Good. It's important to remember that you need to eat. You're a little bit underweight right now and with the vomiting, you may not have much of an appetite, but you need to push through that, okay?"

I agreed and she moved on to the physical exam. The awkwardness didn't really set in until she handed me the gown for the pap smear portion of the appointment and stepped out of the room leaving behind a cup for me to pee in. When the door shut, I sat stiffly and stared at Quil.

"You gonna get changed?" he asked, flashing a knowing smirk.

"Maybe you should step outside."

He laughed and leaned into me, trailing a hand down my cheek. "Really, sweetheart? I've seen it all before." His voice lowered a notch and I felt things down low clench tight. "And it was fucking beautiful."

"Isn't that how we got here in the first place?" I refused to acknowledge the dazed slur to my words. For someone who was recently a virgin, he had the power to take my breath away with no effort at all.

"Why don't you get changed in the bathroom?" he asked, pointing toward the second door in the room. "That way you can take care of the sample at the same time."

Now why didn't I think of that? "Right, thanks."

I shuffled off and did the deed, coming back into the room holding the cup by my fingertips and clutching the ass of my paper gown closed.

Quil's lips twitched, but the look on my face must have clued him in to how close I was to snapping, so he managed to keep hold his laughter in. "Need any help?"

"No. I do not need any help." I wasn't grinding my teeth...really.

A knock on the door broke up my rapidly approaching tantrum. The rest of the appointment flew by, and we left clutching a prescription for prenatal vitamins and a large stack of pamphlets and papers on all things pregnancy. Overwhelmed didn't seem like a big enough word to describe how I was feeling.

I looked up at Quil and said seriously, "I need chocolate."

He smiled and squeezed my hand. "Ice cream?"

"Yes, please."

Maybe a triple scoop would help me come to terms with the fact that in just seven short months, somewhere around the 16th of November, I was gonna be a Mommy. I pondered the idea of a fourth scoop as I buckled my seat belt. It couldn't hurt, right?

**A/N: This will probably be my last update until after the holidays. I'm hoping to write like a demon over my time off and be able to complete Marked, update my Twi25, and this one when I come back after the new year. If my vision cooperates I'll try to toss up the next chap of this on christmas though...well, as long as my family doesn't hunt me down for sneaking off with my laptop :D**

**That goes for reviews to...I'll get to them, promise!**

**Thanks so much to everyone who nominated my work for the Fandom Choice Awards. **_**Desecrate Me**_** is up for Best One Shot, **_**Come Away With Me**_** is up for Best Slash and Best Quote, I'm up for Best Breakthrough Author and Excellence in Editing, so if you get a chance go vote for your favorites (whether that's me or someone else)!**

**Happy holidays ya'll!**

**P.S: Quil says, "Shit's gettin' real now, ya'll. I don't know how I'm gonna handle, you know, birth...have you seen the tools they use in an appointment like this? I'm pretty sure I saw a probe..."**


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